Two Candidates, Two Very Different Ways of Paying In House District 64
How much does it cost to send someone to Tallahassee? And more importantly, who’s picking up the tab? Campaign finance reports may not be exciting, but the numbers in Florida House District 64 reveal a clear story. One candidate has raised most of his money from individual donors, while the other has received most of his support from political committees and Republican Party groups. The difference is striking.
Democrat Luis Salazar has raised over $64,000 from individuals, with hundreds of small donations. Republican Dan Weldon has raised about $12,000 from individual donors. At the same time, Republican Party organizations have given Weldon about $106,500 in cash and campaign services, such as staff, polling, research, and consulting. That’s about 62% of his total reported campaign resources. It seems Tallahassee provides more than just legislative advice.
It’s no surprise that political parties back their candidates. But how much support they give, compared to money from regular people, is worth a closer look. We’ve reviewed both candidates’ campaign finance reports, including where their money comes from and who pays for professional help. The results raise an important question for voters: Who is paying to put your next state representative in office?
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